Madison Students Join March For Our Lives, Start Own Efforts

Madison High School students were among the hundreds of thousands that showed up for the March for Our Lives in Washington, DC Saturday, March 24.

Since the Feb. 14 Parkland shooting, students grouped together to push for measures such as a ban on "assault" weapons like the AR-15 and high-capacity magazines and mandatory background checks. They have hosted two school walkouts and have been contacting members of Congress. And on Saturday, the group joined students and families across the country with similar goals to demand action.

"Gun control wasn't really my thing. Parkland was a turning point. I realized there were kids just a few states away experiencing such horror," Senior Katie Oliveira told Patch on why she got involved.

"Right now because students are organizing [the movement], it feels more important," adds senior Helen Roades. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

It's certainly important to these Madison students, as a fear of a shooting at their school remained in the back of their minds. Because like Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Madison is located in what's considered a safe suburb.

"It was a week after the shooting we had a fire drill. I remember walking out and friends texting us saying 'is anyone else a bit afraid?'" said Oliveira, noting that the Parkland shooter pulled the fire alarm.

Oliveira says Madison has tightened security since the Parkland shooting, increasing presence of armed security, locking classroom doors, and even suspending a student that brought a fake gun to school. The school is considering getting security magnets that attach to door frames and lock the doors.

But despite these measures, Roades says, "It doesn't make me feel more safe. It makes me more aware that something could happen."

Adds Oliveira, "At the end of the day, a security guard can only do so much against an AR-15."

Junior Adam Anderson is confident that the Parkland students' national movement will continue to stick because "they are comfortable talking about [gun control] unlike politicians."

As for the efforts at Madison, students will continue contacting representatives and will meet with Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th district) in April. In addition, students like Roades and Oliveira will be eligible to vote in the 2018 elections.

A third walkout is in the works for April 20, but it could be longer than the 17-minute walkouts the school district has allowed in the past. Anderson says they're considering walking to Flint Hill School and Oakton High School and marching on to the NRA Headquarters in Fairfax.

Images via Madison student Allison Costner, used with permission